Author Description

On the first Monday of April 1625, in Paris, Monsieur Charles d'Avaloy, a lieutenant in Louis XIII's Guard, suddenly finds himself mixed up in some high intrigue. Other than duels (which, admittedly, he has done quite often, and for a long time), the soldier normally keeps away from public life as much as possible. So, why, all of a sudden, does somebody want him dead? And, whoever it is, is willing to set assassins at his heels to make sure that the job gets done right... Again, dueling other soldiers for honor is one thing, but assassination attempts are quite another! Within a single evening, not only is this man's life turned completely upside-down, but in order to keep this matter as hushed as possible, several other men have already been murdered - one of them just for attempting to warn him! To top things off, and on this same eerie evening, Monsieur d'Avaloy's brother, who's a priest, happens to also visit - mysteriously, after nine years of them being separated - to warn him to turn away from a life of the sword, else it will be his undoing! Even though the priest admits that he knows nothing of these sudden attempts upon his brother's life, the soldier does begin to wonder if the man's presence and words are a prophesy, or just a weird coincidence. Is God truly, and through these strange occurrences, trying to sway the solider away from his violent lifestyle? That is, since he has killed every single man with whom he has dueled? Or - and, as the soldier also begins to think - is God only besetting him with these current, horrible things to finally destroy him in the name of justice? Whatever's happening, will Monsieur d'Avaloy turn away from his life of violence and accept a life of priestly robes - since he feels that this is the real reason for his brother's visit? Or, will he end up dying by the sword, since he has been living by the Sword?... Even though the priest assures him that his visit is only to give him peace within his heart (because, since